Bee-hive



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. H. BEELER, Jr.

BBB HIVE.

No. 348,308. Patented Aug. 31, 1886.

N. FETKRS. Phowmhugnpner, vla-mgm, n.c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. H. BEBLBR, Jr.

BBB HIVE.

No. 348,308. Patented Aug. 31, 1886.

N. PETENS. Pnoxmnognphnr, vlamingen. DI.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. C. H. BEELBR, Jr.

BEE HIVE.

No.1348,308. Patented Aug. 31, 1886.

lNfrTen STATES PATENT Finca.

CHARLES H. BEELER, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BEE-HIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,308, dated August 3l, 1886.

Application filed July 11, 1885. Serial No. 171,337. (No model.)

To aZZ whom t .may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BEELER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bee- Hives; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to beehives.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of hives, so that they may be bet` ter adapted i'orthehousing and raising of bees, and, furthermore, to produce a hive which may be divided in such manner as to form two or more separate hives from a single one.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists, essentially, in a bee-hive, substantially as hereinafter describedand claimed.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l isa plan view, the base of the hive being shown in fulllines and the superstructure shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, the section being taken on line :v x and looking toward that side of the hive having the entrances. Fig. 3 is a detailed view showing the construction of that part of the interior of the hive upon which the comb-frames rest. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the front end piece ol' the hive. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the dividing-piece, the saine being shown partlyin section. Fig. (i is a plan view. In the drawings, A represents the` base of the hive, which is provided upon its under side with cleats a, and upon its upper face with thcstationary stri ps b, the reinovablestrip c, and the sliding strips d d. The lower ends of the walls of the hive fit snuglywithin these strips, and may be secured there in an any suitable manner, as by nails, screws, glue, or the like.

A represents the front wall of the hive. A represents the rear wall of the hive, A the left-hand side, and Am the ri ght-hand side.

Near each end of the hive I place the partitions B and B, the upper edges of which are provided with the metal strips B, upon which rest projections from the dividing-board G.

opening to the interior of the hive.

The spaces between the partitions B and B and the ends of the hive are iilled with a packing of any suitable non-conducting substance, in order to render the hive free from sudden changes of temperature.

The partition B,which is placed at the front end of the hive, is provided with an outward extension, e, which extends ush with the inner face of the hive, and this extension forms the bottom of the space in which the packing D at the front end is placed. The lower side ofthe portion c is cut away about its center,

in order to forni the entrance e', and this entrance is regulated by the sliding strips cl and d. These strips are secured to the base of the hive by means of pins d, which rest in slots in the strips and allow the latter to be moved back and forth,in order to close or regulate the The cover for the space between the partition B and the back of the hive is formed by the strip F.

The hive is so constructed that the distance from side to side of the interior is the saine as the distance between the partitions B and B', so that a dividing-board which serves to divide the hive longitudinally may also be used to divide it transversely. Thus it will be seen that the interior of the hive may be divided longitudinally by resting the projecting ends of the division-board upon the top of the partitions B and B', or upon the opposite shoulders ofthe side walls of the hive.

In order that the hive may be divided transversely,and thus forni two separate independent hives, I provide the side A'of the fraine with openings E at the base thereof, which, when the parts are in their proper position, are closed by the removable strip c. The strip is secured to the base of the hive by screws or any other means to render it readily detachable. Thus it will be seen that,- when desired, the opening in the front of the hive may be closed by the sliding strips d and d', the openings E in the side ofthe hive opened, and the partition placed transversely across the hive between these openings and :resting on the shoulders g g, thus forming two independent hives having their entrances in the sides of the main hive.

The upper edges of the partitions B and B are provided with metal strips B, having up- IOO per knife-edges, upon which rest the projections c' from the division-board, and also similar projections from the comb-frames G when these are in place in the hive. Thus the removal of the partitions, comb-frames, and divisionboard will not be rendered difficult byv adhesion of wax, 8vo., as would be the case were the parts to rest upon a flat surface. This construction is shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The division-board which I use is provided with the upper cross-piece, c', to which are attached the cross-pieces c, which are attached at their other ends to the strip c3. of the board are formed by the pieces of thin material o, and in order to form a close union between the division-board and those portions of the hive in which they come in contact, I provide a strip of felt or simila-r material, c5, which is placed around the edge of the division-board, as shownin Fig. 5.- The cross-piece c is of such length as to project at each end a sufficient distance beyond the felt strip to rest upon the shoulders g g or upon the top of the The sides partitions B B", according to the direction in which the interior of the hive is to be divided.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

- 1. Abee-hive consisting of the base provided with the stationary, the removable, and the sliding strips, the Wall portions provided with end and side entrances, and the division-board adapted todivide the hive longitudinally or transversely, substantially as described.

y2. A bee-hive provided with the inner partitionyB, having the eXtensione, on the lower side of which is a slot, e', the base A,provided with the sliding strips d and d', covering an opening in the front wall of the hive and registering with slot e', and the division-board, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GHAS. H. BEELER, JR. VVitnesse's:

BENJAMIN F. SWEE'rEN, CHARLES H. JoNEs. 

